Unofficial Preview Changes & pre-match discussion vs Western Bulldogs

Long time between Friday drinks for Kangaroos veteran Brent Harvey
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At 38 Brent Harvey of the Kangaroos is playing in the Friday night blockbuster against North Melbourne, 18 years since the two sides last played a blockbuster.

North Melbourne’s Drew Petrie could scarcely believe it when he was shown footage this week of the defining moment of the last match between the Kangaroos and the Western Bulldogs played on a Friday night.

The hero that night, Brent Harvey, is no stranger to Petrie. But the date of the match stunned him: August 28, 1998.

The footage broadcast this week shows North Melbourne great Wayne Carey win the ball in the dying stages at the MCG and pass it to Harvey, who snatches a five-point win by kicking his third goal for the match.

Like tonight’s encounter, that was a top-of-the-table match. Harvey sealed the minor premiership with his kick, although the flag eluded both clubs over the next month. The Bulldogs were crushed by Adelaide in a preliminary final, while the Kangaroos had an unfortunate bout of the yips in front of goal on grand final day.

Nonetheless, it is another reminder of Harvey’s longevity as he closes on Michael Tuck’s games record of 426.

“Eighteen years ago ... our youngest player on the list, Ben McKay, he has just turned 18 at Christmas, so dare I say it he wouldn’t have been conceived back then,” Petrie said. “That is an uncanny fact. The way he (Harvey) is going, he might kick the winner on Friday night again.”

Petrie is not quite right about one matter — McKay was actually born the previous Christmas. But his point about Harvey stands. The 37-year-old remains a matchwinner, as proved by his deeds against Melbourne in round three.

Harvey’s vitality has been mirrored this season by North’s other 30-somethings and is a reason the Kangaroos sit atop the ladder. Petrie, 33, has not been as potent in goalkicking terms but his influence in attack and elsewhere has been important at critical times in matches.

Former Blue Jarrad Waite, also 33, is in career-best form and is equal second with Lance Franklin on the goalkicking list with 18.

Daniel Wells, 31, is back to his club champion best after two seasons ruined by injury. Michael Firrito, 32, continues to demand a role in defence. Nick Dal Santo, also 32, is playing as well now as he did at St Kilda, according to North coach Brad Scott.

Some predicted the Kangaroos would slide down the ladder this season, given the number of veterans still required to play important roles. On the evidence so far, those veterans are as fit as they have ever been and no side is in better shape. To date, 19 Kangaroos have played every game of the year, the most of any club, and a string of younger players have also been vital.

The Bulldogs, who have lost key personnel at half-back recently, have 16 players who have played all five games this year.

The Kangaroos have won 11 of 20 quarters this season — the Bulldogs are 15 from 20 — yet Petrie said they have known when to press and when to hold firm due to their experience.

“These games, it is a reflection on the group that we are a bit more mature — we are the oldest in the league — and we are finding a way to win these close ones,” he told Fox Footy’s AFL Today. “It reflects on the maturity of the group.”

The Kangaroos are unchanged for tonight’s match.

As for their opponents, with Matt Suckling joining Bob Murphy and Jason Johanissen on the sidelines, the Bulldogs last night called on Fletcher Roberts.
 
Jun 23, 2013
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Long time between Friday drinks for Kangaroos veteran Brent Harvey
9f8723e213988d9c889c287cf344e5c5


At 38 Brent Harvey of the Kangaroos is playing in the Friday night blockbuster against North Melbourne, 18 years since the two sides last played a blockbuster.

FFS. Off to a flying start in paragraph 1...
 
Nov 21, 2004
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DERMOTT BRERETON
Herald Sun

And their best win was back in Round 1 when they survived a three-quarters-and-a-half dogfight with a seriously good Adelaide Crows outfit.

If we are to confidently say that they are the team to beat, or that they are undeniably the best team in the comp, they need a scalp. And a good scalp.

wut
 

Passmore

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North Melbourne needs a big scalp to earn respect, writes Dermott Brereton

DERMOTT BRERETON
Herald Sun

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IS North Melbourne the best team in it?

The Kangaroos sit on top, the only undefeated team.

North, like every other team, can beat only the opposition that the AFL’s draw puts it up against.

Wins against the Lions and Suns were predictable.

They’ve knocked over a once-dominant Fremantle — but so has everyone else.

They slenderly beat an improving, determined Demons outfit that was stung into action from a poor performance the week before.

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And their best win was back in Round 1 when they survived a three-quarters-and-a-half dogfight with a seriously good Adelaide Crows outfit.

If we are to confidently say that they are the team to beat, or that they are undeniably the best team in the comp, they need a scalp. And a good scalp.

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Kangaroos captain Andrew Swallow and Western Bulldogs captain Easton Wood. Picture: Colleen Petch
Enter the Western Bulldogs.

They too are finalists from last year and they also have seemingly improved.

The Dogs have covered the loss of Bob Murphy and Jason Johannisen off half-back; there’s no reason to think they can’t plan successfully around the absence of another gun rebounder in Matt Suckling.

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They need a scalp. And a good scalp.
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Led by the rejuvenated Tom Liberatore in the middle, the Dogs are a team which is dominating contested football.

That means that more than 50 per cent of the time the ball heads straight into their forward line and the Doggies are just about the best team in the comp for holding the ball in their forward line and gaining repeat shots at goal.

Conversely, North has conceded 30 goals more than the Doggies in the first five games.

If North thinks they are going to allow the ball to live in their backline until such time as they are comfortable to exit, they are playing with fire — one very hot fire.

Last week the presence of Tom Lynch changed the way Brad Scott wanted the game played down back.
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The ever-persistent Scotty Thompson was assigned to Lynch, but Michael Firrito was needed to peel away from a more attacking starting position so that he could assist.

“Spud” played it very well, it is worth noting. But still, those two will be thinking “thank God not every team has a Tom Lynch.”

The missing backmen does hurt the Bullies but if you really drill down into the Dogs’ gameplan, those three were very good at using their pace to give advantage to their kicking skills.

Because for all the talk about the three express runners in the Doggies backline, the team essentially kicks their way forward in a calculated methodical fashion.

Johannisen was express and undeniably at times he gave some penetrative run and carry, but the Dogs massage the ball forward by foot most of the time.

And this style, or the attempt to remain with this style, will continue.

But back to North, what has improved them?

They haven’t added any players at the absolute peak of their powers like a Dangerfield to Geelong, or a Franklin to Sydney for immediate impact.

The best addition that can be said is that they have a fit and running Daniel Wells to add to their midfield armoury.

In between his last stint of good football and his good football this time around, Dal Santo and Shaun Higgins have been added. And Cunnington, Ziebell and Goldstein are much better players.

Add to that Brent Harvey is still an amazing source of energy and drive and Wells is not getting tagged like he used to.

Then we can look forward.

Drew Petrie is still really good and he does a mountain of work. Perhaps even more work than a player of his standing is expected to do.

Ben Brown is averaging two and a half goals a game. He is a wonderful foil inside 50m and if needed he is very capable of marking on the lead.

Then there is Jarrad Waite. He has somehow managed to string game after game together and get consistency. Carlton must be wondering what is in the water at Arden St.

He is not young (like most of the list) but his speed and jump is still super good. He is afforded the luxury of playing as the wildcard, nomadic forward that has license to roam.

And he is repaying the Roos handsomely. His lead and an early jump that is aided with good hang time is his trade mark.

Finally, the main reason why North Melbourne has kicked the most goals this season is that these forwards have had the ball come towards them at express pace.

The one wish a forward makes to the footy gods before the first bounce is to receive the ball at pace.

And North have been supplying Petrie, Waite and Co. through the express ball transferral from their backline because of Shaun Atley, Jamie Macmillan and Wells.

And if during these express chains Higgins and Dal Santo can get their mitts on the ball, the forwards lick their lips.

North’s ability to bring the ball forward at pace is actually better than the Western Bulldogs’.

But if a goal is not scored, the Dogs forward line has a better ability to keep the ball inside their forward line until they get another shot.

North last week fielded 16 players that have more than 100 games experience and a couple more are only weeks away from the milestone.

If anything, history would say that their profile is a little old, but reality tells us that Brent Harvey at 400-plus games is as agile and quick as any 25-year-old.

Petrie at 300-plus is as hardworking as any key forward the game has seen.

All through their list, forget the high numbers — they are very healthy.

And they are better than they were last year, in a competition that has come back a rung and evened out a little.

I expect them to take that hard-earned scalp.
I would have thought Western need a scalp as much, if not more, than we do.

They fell short in their only final last season and couldn't put away a wounded Whoreforn when they had them in the Josh Gibson position earlier this season.

North Melbourne on the other hand, are proven finals performers.

So yeah, I'm not really sure what this is all about. If we do lose tonight, we'll be 8-1 going into a real litmus test against Sydney on Sydney.

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Passmore

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Why the Kangaroos are not sexy, just good

April 28, 2016 - 4:33PM
Wayne Carey
Two-time AFL premiership captain


The gloves are off at Etihad Stadium on Friday night in what looms as a fight of respect.

While North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs might not be two of the AFL's traditional heavyweights, this top-of-the-table clash could be football's equivalent of Muhammad Ali versus Joe Frazier.

The boxers began their rivalry with the famous "Fight of the Century" more than 40 years ago, and I believe there are definite similarities between that bout and this match.


The Bulldogs are the Ali of the AFL world at present. Labelled by many as "sexy", they play an attractive brand of football that has captured the imagination of fans. They've seemingly become everyone's second team.

North Melbourne on the other hand can easily fill the role of "Smokin' Joe" Frazier. While they're unbeaten, they lack a certain level of recognition – few people are really talking about them.

These two sides haven't played in a match of this importance, under Friday night lights, since round 22, 1998 so it's a huge occasion for this pair of proud suburban Melbourne clubs that often punch above their weight.

The Bulldogs started to forge their own identity last season under Luke Beveridge, and have burst out of the blocks again this year. There seems to be almost universal admiration for injured captain Bob Murphy, but there's also a lot of love about for Marcus Bontempelli, Jake Stringer, Luke Dahlhaus and Tom Liberatore.

The Scraggers obviously haven't won a flag since 1954 so some of their popularity can be traced back to the Australians' love of an outsider – or the underdog in this case.

But their transformation as a darling of the footy world has really come on the back of one year of exciting footy, where they've played their way into people's hearts.

For some reason, the Kangaroos aren't seen as having quite the same sex appeal. They're regarded as more workmanlike and blue collar. Ben Cunnington and Jack Ziebell epitomise that image: tough and uncompromising but not exactly beautiful to watch.

Yet the Kangas have won four finals in the past two years and been knocked out at the preliminary final stage both years, so they've achieved the sort of on-field results that teams like Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon and Richmond would envy.

They always play an attractive brand of football, too, averaging 122 points a game this year to be the competition's heaviest scoring team.

But for some reason, Brad Scott's men always to be under-appreciated and underrated. Everywhere you turn, people seem to have doubts about the Roos.

Why is that? Many people – at least in the media circles where I work – talk about Adelaide being a more legitimate premiership contender than North. Yet the Kangas knocked off Adelaide in round one.

Sure, the draw's been favourable to the Roos so far; perhaps that's why people still have their doubts. But you can only beat what's put in front of you.

And the Bullies, let's not forget, will open the season with seven straight matches at Etihad Stadium, where they are super tough to beat, and 14 in total at their home ground. So that's not a bad draw, either.

The Kangas are leaking a lot of goals – too many, probably – while the Dogs' defence is No.1 in the league. On the flipside, the Kangas kick goals for fun – 16, 17, 21, 20 and 18 in their past five games – while the Dogs are less potent up forward.

So, as I say, it will be a fascinating clash of styles. One area of the ground that I'll be watching closely will be the centre square, and who wins that battle.

Most teams use a pool of five midfielders pretty consistently through the centre square. For North, that group comprises Andrew Swallow, Daniel Wells, Ben Jacobs, Cunnington and Ziebell.

The Roos have used a combination of that quintet 101 times this season – the second most in the league after the Sydney grouping of Kieren Jack, Josh Kennedy, Dan Hannebery, Luke Parker and Tom Mitchell (who've been used 130 times).

So the Kangas' centre-square set-up – with Todd Goldstein as virtually their lone ruckman – is very settled and predictable.

The Bulldogs, on the other hand, run a whole host of players through the midfield, up to 10 or a dozen in each game.

Their most settled centre-bounce combination comes from the following five: Bontempelli, Mitch Wallis, Liberatore, Kobe Stevens and Dahlhaus – but they've been used just 60 times.

On top of that, the Dogs use several players in the ruck, including Jordan Roughead, Tom Boyd and Tom Campbell.

So the two teams go about their clearance work in very different ways. Sometimes, being predictable in the middle of the ground is a double-edged sword: the Kangas' players will know each other back to front, how to read Goldstein's ruckwork, and where they'll each run and make space. But it also means the Bulldogs will have a fair idea how that group operates.

On the other hand, each Bulldog combination will not have that same, intimate knowledge of each other's strengths and weaknesses – but neither will Roos' coach Brad Scott, or midfield/stoppage coach Jarred Moore.

Yet both teams average about 38 clearances per game, to be among the top eight clubs in this category, so there's no discernible difference in output.

The Kangas get an opportunity tonight to win over some of the doubters – even if they'll never take out the popularity award. The Dogs will be without Murphy, Jason Johannisen, Matt Suckling and Caleb Daniel – key drivers of their attacking moves from half-back – so are undermanned. But you can bet that Beveridge will still field a fantastically well-drilled side.

Whatever the result, I'm really looking forward to this bout given it features two old-style Melbourne teams slugging it out.

For the record, Ali lost his first fight against Frazier, but won the next two. Now it's North and the Dogs in the ring – who will land the most telling blow?
LOL. Since when is Jack Zeibell in full beast mode not beautiful to watch?

Certainly better than watching peasants like Liberatore and Wallis scrap away.

And all our other blue collar players like Wells, Harvey, Dal etc......

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Geez, these opinion pieces are as worthless as the mouths they come out of.
All these experts are oxygen thieves.
Yet to read an article that has provided any insight into this game.
Hurry up 730 plz
Talk about random cliche generator - they need "a scalp" - this is the best he can do - I fear for humanity.
 

Passmore

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So what's the gameplan for the northern kangaroos this weekend? Kick it long down the line and hope one of your 48 talls can clunk it? Lmfao so predictable. #oldschoolfooty

It seems Western could do with some #oldschoolfooty. No targets mate. You can't expect to pin point passes to undersized forwards when the pressure is on. Surely SuperCoach Bevo learnt something from last years finals failure.

Happy to trade Black for The Small Gift Box.
 
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